Utopia
by Laryna6
Summary: Wouldn't you want to be Yugi? That's what Yugi wanted. Now Yami has to deal with the consequences of that wish. YY, AU. Or...maybe not.
1. Preface

Disclaimer: If I owned Yu-gi-oh, do you think I would be writing something partially in response to plot holes?

This is a sneak peak of one of the two stories I want to work on after Forgiveness ends, which is still a long ways in the future. This one is heavy angst, or at least as angsty as I do. The other is fluff/comedy, mostly. I am currently leaning towards this one, as it is more developed, but the end of Forgiveness is months away, so I might end up doing the other one. I'll do the prologue/first chapter of that one as soon as I have it more established.

Like I said, don't ask me for updates, although if you want this to be the one I pick to write, let me know. It will be Y/Y, as will the other one.

As it says in my bio, where the plot bunnies for this and the other one have been up for a while, this was inspired by a story where Yami is a delusion. What if he were the only one in touch with the real world?

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MAHKOA KHA RENPUT: see MILLENNIUM ITEMS

MILLENNIUM ITEMS: A set of seven Egyptian talismans also known as the Mahkoa kha renput, or Charms of a Thousand Years. They were created by the Egyptian High Priests (see SHADOW MAGES, LINEAGE OF RA) approximately three thousand years ago. According to what sources remain, the talismans increased the Priest's power in the SHADOW GAMES. Soon after their creation, a cataclysm struck Egypt. It is suspected that an arch-demon somehow gained entry to this universe, and was somehow defeated. Little is known because the next Pharaoh, Seth (the previous Pharaoh, whose name is unknown having died in the cataclysm), ordered all records destroyed and hid the Items away. Two branches of the TOMBKEEPER CLAN are responsible for the guardianship of the items.

The research of DR. EDWARD HAWKINS in the 1800s confirmed the account of PLATO. The items, upon being given to a proper bearer, fulfill that person's wishes. However, they do not do this in the real world, but in a fantasy world the person now existes in, believing it to be real. To avoid the person dying as a consequence of not taking care of their body, the Items create a SHADE out of the person's previous unhappiness, who assumes the role of the person, carrying on with their life. The SHADEs are endowed with certain powers, which ones being dependant on which Item they hold. Thorough interviews with the six shades existing at the time, he established that all their 'other selves' were living in an world identical to the worlds the others were living in. He unwisely attempted to break them free of that world, only to die in the attempt, but before dying he wrote the warning that the Items had a mind of their own, created the world their victims were trapped in for reasons of their own, and would kill any who interfered with their plans.

Later tests confirmed that the Items were the physical anchor of a divinity-level mass entity (see SPIRIT CLASSIFICATIONS), whose power was of the DARK affinity, but what was not actually demonic, but human-derived. Little more is known. Several have devised plans to gain access to the Items' powers without falling victim to their trap, but they have all died. Unlike most DARK entities, the Items are not overtly malevolent. However, a wise magician will avoid them at all cost.

-ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE MAGICAL, 178th edition. Compiled by order of the Lord of Lyr. Lumen Durus.

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Once upon a time, there was a young boy named Motou Yugi. Due to having been born prematurely, he was small and weak.

His parents, perhaps disappointed with their only offspring, spent most of their time on business trips, leaving him alone in their house.

He was viewed as a weakling, and a nerd as well, for his obsession with games. His only friend was another 'weirdo', a girl who was also of a rich family that was disappointed with her, because instead of getting straight A's and climbing the social ladder like the Mazakis expected a proper daughter to do, the only thing she was interested in at all was dance.

They had formed an alliance of the unwanted, which made their parents at least a little happy with them. They were expected to wed and merge their families as soon as they got out of high school. They didn't bother to disabuse them of the notion.

The boy had a treasure, that he worked on whenever his parents' mix of demands and inattention became too much. It was an ancient puzzle, a valuable Egyptian antique, that his parents had bought as a status symbol and ignored since then. They didn't know he had it, but why would they care?

As he worked on it, day after day, he dreamed. He wished he had someone to look after him every day, real family. He wished he could spend all the time on games he wanted, instead of being forced to join sports clubs and other more respectable pastimes, which he was physically incapable of being good at.

He wished for more friends, tough guys that would help him out, respect him instead of treating him like dirt. He envied Jounouchi-sama, the class president and soccer captain, and his right-hand man Honda-san. Sometimes he wanted to be them and sometimes he wished they weren't so perfect, so he didn't feel like nothing in comparison.

He wished for a girlfriend, like everyone else had, or so it seemed to him, a pretty, popular girl who would never laugh at him, like even Anzu did sometimes, although she didn't mean it cruelly. She viewed him as someone to talk to, but she had her own life to live, was caught in a battle that had little to do with him. He wanted someone who would live for him only.

He wanted adventure. He wanted someone to look up to, someone who really cared about him. He wanted to be the strong one.

And one day, he solved that puzzle.

And thus, our story begins.

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"Look, I. Am. Not. Yugi. What part of this don't you understand?"

A ruby look of contempt met the stares of the overdressed man and the vulgar woman (the beautiful one's parents? Surely not, no matter what one set of the granted memories said) who stared and backed away.

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Possible next major project NO. 1. Other is Peace By the Sword. Well?

Y/Y, of course. As you may have guessed, Yugi's fantasy world is the show. Jou and Honda and Anzu will not have much to do with the real life side.

But you will get to meet the 'real' thems, and other characters as well. After Forgiveness, if this one is the one I pick to do first.


	2. Mental

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh. There. You happy?

I could do better research, but I'm not going to.

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The medicines made his head feel fuzzy. In the other world he lived in, what everyone called the fantasy world, he could have used his magic to compensate, but nothing worked here. He thought perhaps if there was an attack… but this world was much less perilous than the fantasy world. He wondered why Yugi would want to leave this place for a world where he was attacked by bullies and other riff-raff so often.

There was so much about this that didn't make sense, and them telling him this was madness made it worse. If he wasn't sure that he wasn't Yugi (how could anyone ever mistake that him for that bright soul? These people were fools) he himself would have doubted his tale.

There had been test after test, finding nothing. He didn't tell them he couldn't sense the other world when the Puzzle was absent. His skills were enough to keep them from finding out its importance, and the Puzzle used its powers to hide itself on occasion.

Another piece of evidence that this was real, though one he would not point out to him. What if…

They thought the true Yugi was the fantasy. What if they broke the Puzzle, cut him off from Yugi? Left him here, a thief of this body…

He was smarter than Yugi, he let their tests find that out. Though Yugi was smarter than they thought, only hesitant. A trait Yami, as he insisted they call him so hopefully they wouldn't get him mixed up with Yugi, most certainly did not share.

They both excelled at games.

They talked about MPD and other things, paranoid fantasies (in the fantasy world Yami had to be paranoid, to guard Yugi)… Yami didn't pay much attention.

He had not yet gone to the school Yugi had used to go to before the Puzzle was solved, the family reputation wouldn't stand for a mad child. He took courses online and would have helped Yugi in his realm study the same things, but he was not allowed to do so.

The Puzzle did not allow him to do many things, including tell Yugi of the world he had left. He played the role of the dark avenger, and something in him loved it, loved to live out Yugi's fantasy and punish his foes.

Or was the fantasy world the true one? It certainly seemed just as real.

Or did it matter what was real, as long as Yugi was happy? And he was.

If he truly was part of Yugi, as all around him claimed, then was this narcissism? To be so enthralled with his other self he drifted into double vision whenever he could, aware of both this world and the other, the world that was so much more important because Yugi was there?

He idly worked on solving another Rubix cube in yet another waiting room, waiting for Sugoroku to come pick him up.

Sugoroku was much more intelligent and tolerable than the ones he could barely believe were Yugi's parents. If the Puzzle had indeed created a world exactly as Yugi wished, than Yugi showed good taste in having his parents gone most of the time and 'Solomon' there for him, his grandfather instead of a hired servant.

He would eat and work out (he had to keep the borrowed body, Yugi's body, in good shape), and then play poker (a game much inferior to Duel Monsters) and then go to bed. Tired. Already so tired. He hoped they would give up on this medication soon and try yet another futile one. One that wouldn't make him so sleepy.

Kaiba was definitely up to something, and he would have to be alert to handle it when it came.

All of those were minor obstacles, endurable. What distressed him most was that Yugi was starting to become fearful of the one who could not announce his presence.

Why would the Puzzle not let him explain himself? Did Yugi want him to remain a mysterious protector? Why when that scared him so?

It was strange. They were both worried that others would think them mad. Yugi for blacking out, and Yami for, well, Yugi.

Other than that, they were both happy. Yugi with the friends he had not had in this world, and Yami with, well, Yugi.

Yugi enthralled him. So beautiful, so kind… enduring a little muzzyness was no hardship for the honor of protecting him. He sighed happily, fingering the completed game, a sigh that turned into a yawn.

/\/\/\/\/\/

"I wish I could say we could expect to see improvement soon, but it's been several months. All we can do is keep trying different medications and see if they do anything. And therapy, of course, to try and get it through to him that it's not real, just… his head playing a real nasty trick on him." The psychologist sighed, looking at Sugoroku over steepled hands.

Sugoroku nodded. "I'll be sure to tell Mr. and Mrs. Motou that when they ask for an update on his condition. I still can't believe it, doctor. He was a… lonely child, but he always seemed… perfectly sane. No more prone to fantasies than any child."

The doctor shrugged helplessly. "If a person's brain turns against them… have you seen the movie A Beautiful Mind? A very intelligent doctor spent years under the impression a figment of his mind was his best friend. It can happen to anyone, with the right genes and the right conditions… we may never know what the trigger was, if there was a trigger."

He shuffled through papers. "All we can do is keep plugging away it. If we find the right medicine, there's a chance it will all just go away." But he doubted it was going to be as easy as that. "In any case, he has agreed to… not mention his condition, act as though Yami is a nickname in public. I think it would help to re-introduce him to his old life, affirm that this is real, this is where his real memories are."

Sugoroku nodded. "I haven't felt right, keeping him at home all this time. But it wouldn't be a good idea to tell the school. He's been teased enough for being small and weak."

The doctor blinked. "Small and weak? He seems normal enough for his age."

Sugoroku sighed. "Yes, he has had a growth spurt recently. And he's been exercising… it seems as if his physical health is improving at the cost of his mental."

"Don't think of it that way, that's a good sign." The doctor took a note of it. "It shows that he isn't withdrawing into this fantasy world, if he's still putting effort into things in the real world. And he's keeping up his studies?"

A nod. "Yes, he's putting more effort into them than before. Although, he has been very tired since he was put on this last medication."

"Yes, I've written a prescription for a new one. I haven't seen any signs of improvement, though it's hard to tell now that he's clammed up on us. I think talking more would be a good sign, and it's one that hasn't shown up. But if he's feeling a side effect to this extent without the medicine working even though we've given it enough time to…" the doctor shrugged. "Time to taper him off of it and try the next one." He handed Sugoroku some papers. "Here are the directions for it, and a copy for his therapist."

"Thank you. I think I'd better take him home now, if that's all?"

"That's all. See you in three weeks." And the doctor started closing the file for his next appointment.

Sugoroku stood and went to the waiting room where Yu… Yami, was. It was strange. He'd known Yugi all his life, and now… Sometimes he acted like an entirely different person, like there was _something_ looking through those eyes that just… wasn't Yugi. If he had been superstitious he would have thought of possession.

Sometimes, though… he knew this was Yugi, anything else was ridiculous.

One of the few things Yami had said about his fantasy world before he'd clammed up was that there was a Sugoroku in it, and that they were family. That was Yugi. Such a sweet boy.

If he was going back to school now, Anzu would be so relieved. Yugi's family hadn't wanted him to see anyone until he could act normal, which meant she'd heard some rumors, and then he hadn't shown up at school, and he'd had to send her away from the mansion when she'd come by, begging to see him.

The shame to the family… overpowered any good that might be done to Yugi by seeing his best friend again.

On the other hand, his parent's wealth meant he was getting the best treatment available, and could live at home instead of an institution.

And if his parents didn't have the money, would Sugoroku be taking care of him like this? He was an old family retainer, worked for them since he was a boy. He'd seen Yugi's father grow up and now he played games with young Master Yugi.

The boy was a genius at games, even if his family disapproved. Withdrawing into a game world… perhaps he shouldn't have encouraged him. Perhaps this was all his fault. No, that was nonsense.

The trigger… it was that Puzzle, he was sure of it. Yugi had been so focused on solving it, working on it for years, sometimes ignoring other things… he'd smiled, thought every child should have a dream, and then he had solved it and this had happened.

They should try taking the Puzzle away from him. But whenever he tried to ask the psychiatrist about doing it, tell them about it, the words just wouldn't come out of his mouth.

It was strange, frightening… It was just his conscience, after all. The boy had spent so much time on it, to take it away would be criminal. Everyone should have a treasure.

Right. That was why.

"Yu… Yami?" He shouldn't call him Yugi, that was the agreement. They would all just… act normal, and hopefully soon this would be over and he would have _his_ Yugi back.

"Yes, Gran… Sugoroku?" He yawned, looking up from a completed puzzle. Every spare second he had, games and puzzles. As though his life depended on it instead of it just being a hobby.

"It's time to go home now. Tomorrow we'll need to pick out new clothes, you're going back to school on Monday."

Yami, and it was easier to think of him as Yami now he was right in front of him (red eyes, hadn't Yugi's been brown? And all that hair gel… red and gold highlights? He hadn't used dye…) nodded and put the puzzle down. "And after dinner we'll play. I wish Duel Monsters existed in this reality. The other you is very good, and there aren't any games quite like it." That secret smile, knowing much Sugoroku didn't.

"Yes, I will play with you, but I thought we agreed you wouldn't mention the fantasy world except during therapy?"

A snort. "Not talking about it won't make Yugi's wishes go away. But you ignoring it is better for me." Intelligent, those eyes, with none of Yugi's softness.

"Yes, well…" And what could Sugoroku say? "Let's just get on home, Yami."

Yami stood up, and there was sleekness in that movement, a predator going from lounging to ready to move, though not threatening. He regarded Sugoroku as a… friend? Ally?

Sugoroku didn't know what he would have done if the one looking out of his Yugi's eyes had not known him, or worse, seen him as a foe. Yami seemed to regard him as annoying, with his insistence on seeing him as Yugi, but benign. Willing to play with him, at least.

Sugoroku had been evenly matched against Yugi. He stood almost no chance against Yami.

Eerie, those eyes.

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I'm sorry, it's been really crazy and I haven't been able to work on DYDOM. I wrote this a while ago but was holding off on posting it until I could guarantee regular updates. I'm posting it now as an apology for being late with DYDOM, which I promise will be posted Sunday. Thank you.


	3. Alliance

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh. And it's a good thing too.

Utopia is now going to regular updates! There will be seven chapters so it will be done by the end of February.

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Yami lounged in the corner seat he had claimed for himself. The goth outfit had caused some questions, but he had just given the group of jocks a raised eyebrow and turned away.

Strange that the ringleaders of the irritating group were Yugi's best friends now in the world Yugi lived in, the fantasy world.

He hid the Puzzle, he didn't want to attract that much attention, though Yugi was able to wear it all the time without worrying about the school dress code.

The tedium of this life was punctuated by games, where he had taken out some frustration at not being able to talk to Yugi on those who had dared to harm him. Then, finally, Yugi had been allowed to stay conscious when Yami was in control.

His light was not afraid of him anymore. The thought made him cheerful enough to withstand the idiocies of the fools who surrounded him.

"Class, I would like you to meet a transfer student, Bakura Ryou."

Yami stared. At the exact same instant the teacher here had said those words, the teacher in Yugi's world had also introduced the same student.

Not the same. That Bakura had sad eyes and a softness about him that matched Yugi's. This one was harder.

This one was like him.

The one in Yugi's world was wearing a Millennium Item.

Yami's and Bakura's eyes met and Bakura chose a seat next to him.

At recess, they met to talk while Yugi and the other Bakura talked. The other's eyes showed he was watching his other's conversation as well.

The other spoke first. "Are you a weapon as well? Do you destroy those who try to use him?"

"Of course." Yami nodded.

"The Item told me to transfer to this school right when Ryou transferred. I think we were meant to meet." Cold eyes appraised him. "I don't like you for some reason, but you're in the same boat I am. You also have someone to protect. Someone you would protect with your life."

"Should we meet after school?"

"I'm not sure if I can make it today. Ryou's parents are divorced. I'm an emancipated minor, I have to work."

"When you can, then."

"Agreed." A nod.

When they met, Ryou invited Yugi over to his house while Yami invited Bakura. The game began.

Once again, Yami felt the Item limit what he could do. He could not break Bakura's spell, he could not speak to Bakura of their meeting. The hate in Bakura's eyes was a product of the Items, then there was more depth to it.

In the end, Ryou ended the game, rebelling against Bakura while Yugi found more reason to trust Yami. It was wonderful to look at him, even in a doll.

Yami realized he loved him. Loved him loved him. But he could not say a word. He was able to smile at him, though, and be given Yugi's trust, and the trust of those who mattered to Yugi. It was a great gift.

In the world they inhabited, Yami's and Bakura's bodies had blank eyes until the game ended.

Bakura's eyes narrowed. "I think I hate you."

"Why? I don't hate you, despite what you did to Yugi and his friends. It was part of the… of the story," Yami realized. "You are as bound as I am."

"The one you love knows you, doesn't fear you. Mine? I destroy the ones he wants to believe are his friends. I defend him, but only earn his hate. You think we share the same hell? I thought so. I hurt him." Bakura stared at his hand, hate in his eyes. "I stabbed this hand. I could not stop it. No, I could not make myself want to stop it. I could not even break the pattern of the story enough to spare him. In the story, I hate you. No." He shook his head. "We will be great friends, you and I."

"Why?"

"Because the story that compels me to harm my light tries to compel me to hate you. I have that much freedom in this world, at least." He held out his hand. "We will be allies, you and I. I am Bakura."

"He calls me his dark self. I am Yami." Yami took it. "It is hard to hate the Items, however. No matter how dangerous the world they create for him is, he is happy in it."

"I can see I'm going to have to try very, very hard to not hate you." Bakura bared his teeth in something that didn't deserve the name of a smile, no matter the shape of his lips. "My Ryou? I guard him, but he is alone. Melancholy. Less alone than in this world, true. In that one he is chased after for his skill as a player of that game, Monster World. It does not exist in this world."

"Any more than Yugi's game Duel Monsters does." Yami shook his head. "But, Ryou is not alone now. Yugi is with him, and as we just saw, the Items will not allow you to deal with him as you did with the others."

"I tried to tell Ryou I wanted to protect him, that everything I did was as much for his own good as I could. But the Item twisted my words." He took the Ring out of hiding. "Accursed thing."

Yami revealed the Puzzle. "Perhaps they are cursed. I have not been able to find anything out about its origin, except that it is Egyptian and very old. You?"

"Nothing, although Ryou's father in the Item's world is an Egyptologist."

"The monster I controlled. Zork Necro…whatsis. There is something important about it."

Yami nodded. "I sensed that as well. It seemed there was a presence besides the Items in that game."

"What power do you have?"

"I have the power to create games of magic and cast punishments upon people. You?"

"The same, although I have… other skills as well. I am a master thief." Bakura smiled. "I am a thief and a stealer of souls, and all who threaten Ryou shall feel my wrath. Have you ever been attacked in this world?"

Yami shook his head. "No. Do the powers work here as well? Although the Items do seem to hide themselves rather well."

"Oh yes, they do. I have had to live in some rather dangerous neighborhoods." Bakura grinned. "Using my powers with no restrictions, not having to play a game and keep to a script… it was fantastic."

"What do you feel for Ryou? You obviously care for him."

"I love him, of course. How could I not? I see his every thought, watch his every moment. How could I not care for him? And yet the Item orders me to use him, view him as a toy, a mere host." Bakura growled and struck the wall with a dagger he had certainly not come into the house with. The security would have picked it up.

"The same. Yugi is… so pure. It angers me that the Items' world constantly causes him to be abused. Though I must admit I like it. To punish those who would dare harm him. To summon the shadows on his behalf. He was right to name me Darkness, I am of the shadows, but then he is of the light. How can I not worship the one who casts me? I exist for him."

"This world was less kind to Ryou than it has obviously been to Yugi. This is a rich house." Bakura smirked. "I could so easily hate you."

Yami shrugged. "Call it fate, call it the story, call it the will of the Items. I certainly have had no control over it."

"You are missing out, then. Ryou's shell exists by my wits. I steal, I fight, I… adjust people's thinking for him, inside the fantasy and out. You seem to have an easy time of it." Contempt showed in his eyes.

"He has his friends as well, in his fantasy. One time, he faced game after game without needing to summon me while I could only watch while he was almost killed by electric guns, electrocution, a murderer with a chainsaw…" Yami growled. "And I was not allowed to kill the one who did it. Even though this was his _second time_ threatening him."

"You had to let him go? Pity. None of the ones _I _face threaten Ryou a second time." Bakura grinned, cleaning his fingernails with the dagger. "One of the few perks of our position. We are thieves of bodies, thieves of life. We would not exist but for them."

"In fact, I am glad the Item restrained me. Yugi would have lost his trust in me if Kaiba perished." Yami frowned. "Now that I think of it, Kaiba seems to have something in common with Yugi and Ryou. Some common thread. How many of us are there? How many are living hollow lives with everything they love in another world?"

"We were brought together. Perhaps we will find others as well. We would be stronger together than apart."

"You're plotting something. What would we do?"

Bakura looked at Yami like he was a fool. "I don't know about you, Mister I-live-like-a-king, but _I _for one would like to be able to talk to Ryou. Even better, do a little more than talk." He winked.

Yami's eyes widened. "Would that be possible? The Items control us so easily."

"You beat me, and you give up so easily? The Items must have fixed that game." Bakura snorted in contempt. "This isn't something that can be given up on, fool. I _will_ have Ryou."

"Yugi is so…so innocent. I can hardly bear the thought of corrupting him." Yami shook his head sadly.

"Then you watch and do nothing, voyeur. I know you watch when he's in the shower." A smirk. "I, however, will be gaining more power. There are powers besides the Items out there. I _will_ find one that can break their hold and give me freedom to interact with Ryou, no matter what I have to do to do it."

Yami blushed. "You have my aid."

"I don't need your help."

"You can't steal everything, thief. A power that can fight the Items would be well guarded, perhaps too well even for you. What violence cannot get, money can."

"You speak my language, rich boy. I could use some cash to loosen people's tongues. And you need me to find those people, they'd never speak to you. I have contacts."

"An alliance, then?" Yami smiled, starting to bend the mind of a master gamer to the task. To truly speak to Yugi. He had not even dared to wish for it. He was grateful to Bakura. Even if all their efforts failed, at least there would be hope. At least he would be doing _something_.

"I work alone. But… I can work alone using you. Ryou seems to like your Yugi. So he'd be happy with me if I made your Yugi happy, and I bet you would. You're much kinder than I am. Ryou hates and fears me now, I'll have to give him reasons to trust me. And when he sees your little Yugi all happy snuggled up with you, well."

"Well indeed." Yami stood.

"Where are _you_ going?" Bakura asked.

"To seal the bargain." Yami opened a safe and counted out money. "Three hundred. I have little to spend it on. This should do you some good. I expect results, however."

"You'll get them." Bakura made the money disappear. "Just think, sweet little Yugi lying in your arms, looking up at you with those big round eyes, blushing…" Bakura nudged him with his elbow.

"I exist to make him happy. I'm sure you'll do the same for Ryou. You'll have my aid."

"You bet Ryou will be happy with me. I'll steal his heart and his virtue." Bakura laughed. "Do you know what torment it is to merely _watch?"_

"I've known that torment long enough." Yami shook his head.


	4. Artist

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh, and it's a good thing too.

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

Bakura often came into class tired, and rumors spread. Jounouchi and Honda tried to invite him into the school's gang, but he refused to spend his time with some amateurs. They took exception to this, and came into school bruised the next day. Bakura just smirked in what Yami learned was his default expression. The other was a considering look, one that seemed to ask whatever was on his mind, "You dare to be a problem?"

Yami knew Ryou occupied Bakura's mind often. As often as Yugi occupied his.

Finally, in class Bakura signaled to meet him after school. The rich kid, however goth he had become, and the class bad boy weren't supposed to be friends.

Bakura was an ally, but he doubted he would ever be a friend. He doubted Bakura's calculating mind with its anger at the world would ever let anyone close. Except Ryou, who he seemed to worship as the hope and innocence, the gentle strength that he did not have.

Yami knew that Bakura had been happy when Ryou defeated him, filled with unimaginable hate for the risk Ryou had been placed at.

Ryou had wanted to be the hero. The Items had granted his wish. Just as they granted Yugi's wishes.

"I've found another," Bakura informed him, cleaning his nails with his vanishing knife.

"Another?" Yami's ears perked up. "Another bearer of a Millennium Item?"

"You're quicker than you look. Get this, it's an eye. Stuck in his face in place of his light's own eye. Must have hurt going in, huh? Sounds like more of a pain than your Yugi spending so many years solving that Puzzle you got there." Bakura laughed.

"Does he know anything that will free us?"

"He's worse off than we are. He's not even allowed to interact with his light. Can only watch, never speak. But maybe that's better than being _hated_." Bakura seethed.

"What is his name?"

"Mr. Crawford. He's a portrait artist, not as wealthy as you but he has enough he took the next flight here when I contacted him."

"He's coming here?"

"He's already here. We're going to meet him after school."

"Yugi's going somewhere after school. There's a boat to this island for some tournament." What if Yugi was challenged again by the mindreader? He had to be able to concentrate on that. But he couldn't miss the opportunity to learn more about the Items.

"I know, I'm stowing away on it." Bakura smirked. "I seem to be obsessed with gaining the Millennium Items, and the island will soon contain both your Puzzle and the Millennium Eye. Ryou was easy to convince."

"Ryou agreed to help you? That's wonderful!"

Bakura scowled. "No, I warped his mind. He thinks it was his own idea. He still thinks I'm gone. I've seen him look at the Ring, try to rid himself of it. He's afraid I'm still inside it, you see. Even if where I am is inside _him_."

"I wonder if the creator of Duel Monsters has a millennium item." Yami frowned thoughtfully.

"You are denser than I thought. Mr. Crawford's first name is _Pegasus._ It seems like fate is drawing us together, isn't it? But his light knows much about the Items, and he will share that with us. He's had the Eye for over ten years, after all." A condescending smirk.

"So his light's dream was to make the game a success?"

"We corresponded by e-mail. His light went on a trip after his wife divorced him and was given the eye by a man in a turban named Shadi. Who holds what looked like a Millennium Ankh."

"Millennium Key."

"You know of it?" Bakura glared at him. "You knew something I didn't about the Items and you didn't tell me!"

"I thought it was part of the fantasy. I sensed no more from this Shadi then from any other of the illusions. He used a key to see into my mind and also used scales to judge people. He confronted Yugi, but was easily dealt with, though the story the Items told said I was worrying." Yami rolled his eyes.

"You still should have told me." Scowling.

"Forgive me. I have a tutor after school," though he was running out of things to teach him, "but Sugoroku will forgive me skipping this once. I don't want him to know you have an Item as well. He would think you are conning me out of my money and contributing to this 'delusion.'"

Bakura laughed. "Well, I'm not conning you, am I? I promised results, rich boy, and I have them."

"We shall see."

"After school. Meet me by the gate."

Yami spent the rest of his classes not even bothering to pretend to pay attention. The fantasy world's version of Sugoroku, Solomon, had been kidnapped by Crawford's light.

Why would Yugi want to believe he lived in a town in America called Domino? What an odd name. Crawford's light's name was Maxamillion Pegasus. The names of all the people Yugi knew had changed, but not Yugi's name. Perhaps because it meant game? And all Yugi wanted to do, what his dream world revolved around, were games?

Bakura led him to a streetside café where a man with short hair. Hair which was going grey early. He didn't seem that old, but he wasn't young either. He nodded courteously.

He seemed nice enough but there was that edge of harshness to him that Yami was beginning to suspect all those in their position had. The lights had to be protected, after all.

He looked very different from Pegasus at first. There wasn't that tinge of insanity. Strange that the darkness of the pair seemed the softer, more stable one. Yugi was… he had a delicate temperament, but he didn't allow his obsessions to hurt anyone but the enemies the fantasy created, who deserved it. Yami was grateful he didn't have to hurt the innocent.

"So you're the real Yugi Motou." He raised his coffee cup in acknowledgement.

Yami blinked. "No, I am Yami. The real one is the one your light faced in that duel."

"He's going to face him again. He has it all planned out. I would spoil the surprises, but I do have to look after him, after all. We aren't enemies, but his research dug up what you do to those who offend you if you defeat them." He took a sip of the coffee, pencil tapping on his sketchpad.

"I also need to protect Yugi, Mister Crawford."

"Just Crawford is fine. Oh, right. The Japanese are more formal. I'm sorry, my other half knows more about Japan then I do. I can't seem to pick up the language from him." Crawford shrugged. "I'm good at art, bad at memorizing." Light swirled around the pen. A couple surprised glances looked their way, but the other diners shrugged it off. A trick of the light.

The rational world didn't arrange for magic tricks.

"You know what annoys me most?" Crawford looked harshly up at the sky. "He still worships her. In his little fantasy, she died tragically soon after they wed. He went on the quest in which he acquired this little trinket," he tapped his eye and produced a golden ringing sound, "and lost his artistic muse not because she brutally divorced him after marrying him for the fame he was beginning to gain, but because he was so in love with his faithful Cecelia he wanted to bring her back to life. _I _wanted to kill the bitch." He growled. "You're not the only ones who can play games, you two."

His light loved another? Yami was beginning to understand how lucky he was. Yugi had a crush on Tea, the fantasy's version of class president Anzu, but she was more interested in _him_. What a relief, although it angered him that she ignored how his light felt about her.

Part of him wanted her to _keep_ ignoring.

"Bakura said you do not speak to your light?" And that wasn't something it was good to change the subject to, but he needed to know.

"He doesn't even know he exists. I show up and make the Eye's magic work for him. That's _it_." Crawford's hand was sketching something. "Look, but never touch. The e-mails said it's the same for you?"

Bakura scowled. "Mine _hates_ me."

"I haven't, or rather he hasn't, met yours yet."

"He will soon. Forgive me, but I'm not going to share that sort of information either." The knife had reappeared. "Head home, rich boy. Let the adults do the talking."

"You're no older than I am, Bakura."

"Our hosts are the same age, rich boy. But you've only know yours a few months. I have existed for almost two years."

"Do you want to challenge me?"

"Perhaps I should." The people around them looked up. The sky was darkening, but there were no clouds. "I would _like_ to see how strong you are without the script."

"Quit threatening him, Bakura." Crawford seemed bored. "Neither of you are actually planning to do anything, so don't pretend, boys."

"Mindreader." Bakura scowled.

"It's incredibly boring after a while. The shock value wears off sooner than you'd think, and then it's just boring. I can't turn it off without closing my eye, and I can't walk around with one eye closed all the time. It does help the art, though. Apparently my work captures the soul of the person I paint." He laughed. "Sometimes literally."

"Mindreader?" That explained it.

"Oops." Crawford didn't seem very sorry. "Well, you would have figured it out soon enough. He shows it off, doesn't he? Good luck finding a way around it." A smile.

"He can read every card, every strategy… no wonder I was defeated." Yami got up out of the chair at Crawford's table. "Excuse me, I must return home." To try to plan.

It wasn't until he was halfway home he realized he shouldn't bother. Yugi would come up with something. Yugi would be the hero. It was his story after all, not Yami's. Or Bakura's, or Crawford's.

The world of their lights was their lights' world.

The danger would be averted, Solomon would be rescued, Bakura would threaten but be defeated thanks to Ryou. Everything would turn out fine.

He did his homework and spent the rest of the evening outwardly meditating but inwardly watching Yugi. He wasn't doing anything important until he dove overboard after some cards.

Yami wanted to rescue him. He cursed Yugi's imaginary friends.

He did not hate them, how could he if they made Yugi happy? But even so…

Two days later, the eye was in Bakura's possession. And Bakura envied Crawford more than Yami.

Pegasus had died, killed by Bakura.

And been cast down out of his heaven.

Crawford kept control of the body and took Pegasus to his private island off the coast of Maine, to try to console him.

He kept asking to see Cecelia once Crawford let slip she was alive here and calling Crawford a demon.

But at least he knew Crawford existed now. The rest would heal with time, Crawford said, renewing his vows to protect his light.

He left Bakura with the real eye and Yami with a portrait of Yugi.

Sugoroku had it framed. How fortunate Yami had become friends with such a famous painter. This was something to show his parents, when they returned from the latest business trip.

Bakura was split between raging at the Items and admiring his light's courage. A far better light for him than Yugi the cream puff.

Yami hung the picture by his bed. It was beautiful.

But not as beautiful as watching Yugi be happy in his heaven.

He didn't want Yugi to die, but to be able to speak to him freely without the Item intervening, to be able to hold him in their soul rooms at least, if not in the physical world was something he would give anything for. Except Yugi's pain.

Bakura planned to try to kill both Ryou and Yugi, as a favor to Yami.


	5. Tourney

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh. There. You happy?

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

"_He_ may not be your enemy, but _I_ am," the young blonde informed them, smiling eerily. "My light has been in that hell since he was eight. If killing him is the only way to get him out, so be it." He clenched his fist and raised it in front of his face. "I'll destroy everything in the illusion that keeps him from me. Including the two of you."

Isis sighed. "Malik…"

"Don't try to argue. We've had this conversation before." He shook his head violently. "You actually take all that stuff with the Tombkeepers and the traditions in the fake world seriously. Just like your light does. Your light didn't help mine, why should I help you?"

"You took my help to get here. It's my money that paid for those plane tickets," Isis pointed out. She sighed and looked at Yami and Bakura. "I'm glad to meet you, and I'd be happy to ally with you. I won't tolerate Ishizu being killed, however." She touched the Item around her neck. "Our Item allows infallable visions of the future, except where other Items are involved. We will need your help. Win this tournament and prevent the future I see."

"What is this future?" Yami asked.

"Future." Bakura snorted. "The only _future_ I care about is the one where our lights are with us. _I'll _help you, Malik."

"Don't you dare. I'll do it myself." He sneered. "But I'll make sure to destroy your light while I'm at it."

"Don't you see!" Isis slammed her fist down on the table. "The fantasy is what they _want!_ As brutal as it seems, this is their dream! Malik, Bakura, Yami, can you really take that away from them? Don't you love them? Are you really selfish enough to deny them their happiness!"

"Hell yeah." Bakura nodded.

"I am not sure." Yami shook his head. "I want Yugi here, but not at the expense of his life there. What I want… what I want is some way for him to live in both worlds as I do, so we can know each other and he can still have his games."

Isis's eyes softened. "That, I would agree with you on."

"I want his fantasy _destroyed_. Sure, he has fun with his ghouls, they're fun toys to torment, but his fantasy involved him being _tortured_." Malik glared at Isis. "My Marik should _never_ have been harmed. I killed his fake father, and I would have killed your light for letting it happen. I have two reasons to kill her now that I know destroying them frees them."

"Don't you dare!" Isis clutched the Item, her connection to her light.

Malik laughed. "Dare? Oh, I dare. You never scared me, Isis. There is a game coming up, one my light has planned. He'll destroy your light, Pharaoh. They you'll have him all safe and sound. Or will you destroy my light for me?" Malik grinned harshly. "I don't want that. I want that world destroyed, and when my light is gone from it that will limit my ability to do so."

"The key is the Items," Bakura interjected. "In the fake world, I am trying to claim them all. They hold power, power unimaginable. Power that created us. Surely they can do what we want them to, give us our lights."

"I will manipulate my light to ally with you, then." Malik nodded. "That gives you the Rod, and soon the Torc and Puzzle."

"I already have the Eye." Bakura grinned. "After this, we'll just need the Ankh and Scales."

"Shadi possesses those." Yami shook his head. "He will be a difficult opponent for you." His eyes narrowed. "But not as difficult as me. Gathering the Items: yes, I will help you with that. Killing my light, however, I will not allow."

"Nor will I." Isis shook her head. "I'm fine with her not knowing me as long as she gets what she wants. Free your lights from their hearts' desires if you must, but leave Ishizu in her own world."

"Her own little fantasy world where she's a director of artifacts instead of a struggling student. You've built up a good little nest egg with your fortunes, not-my-sister." Malik sneered. "Don't you want her to have that wealth you've amassed? What use is it if you don't have her to enjoy it with? Massages and beaches under the stars instead of paperwork and sandy dig sites. Enlightened America instead of having to be completely covered all the time."

"It's what she wants." Isis bowed her head.

"And you don't think she'd want you if she had the option?" Bakura leered. "Just like a woman, underestimating yourself and being all weepy and sentimental. You'll be thanking the two of us when you've got her in your mind."

Isis glared. "We'll see whose light wins this tournament."

"We're all going to be involved, aren't we?" Malik grinned. "We or our lights all have almost enough cards. My servant, the blowhard, the Pharaoh's little pet and the blonde. No real competition. I wonder who my light will toy with first?"

Isis stood. "I've heard enough. I must support my light, mediate to aid her."

"I am in another duel, I must go as well." Yami stood. "This needs my concentration."

"I'll head your way, then." Bakura grinned. "Ah, found him. Your light is a pretty little thing, isn't he? I can see why you're so eager."

That night they watched from their homes or hotel rooms, Malik staying at Bakura's.

Malik made good his promise to destroy Ryou, but Bakura kept control of the Ring. The Item's script allowed Maric to save his sister and Rishid. Shadi appeared to Yami, whose eyes were drawn to the Items. Only two to go.

Ryou's eyes were full of fear as Bakura grabbed him in what was now _their _soul room. Whispers and pettings were not enough to calm him. Bakura wasn't a very calming person. He cursed the Items for poisoning his light's mind against him.

Isis wept for her light's defeat and wished she could comfort her. Her pain at her brother losing his body was great.

Malik cursed. Why had Maric remained in the Ring instead of dying! He cursed Bakura and held the Ring in the illusion world.

Yami did his best to comfort Yugi as Yugi tried to comfort him. He felt it was all his fault, Ryou dying and Malik, as far as he knew, being destroyed as well. If only he had managed to prevent it or talk Bakura and Malik out of their plans…

They met again the next day as the final duel began. Yami did not care about Joey, he was simply a figment, and he rather disliked Jounouchi.

He and Malik leaned back in their chairs, Bakura and Isis watching and cheering on their allies.

Yami did not know what he wanted. He hated to lose, but if he did… watching Bakura made him want his light even more, just as seeing Crawford with Pegasus had. Yugi loved him. Surely he would be more accepting? Surely they would be happy together, even if this world was cruel reality instead of Yugi's dream?

He dueled for Yugi. Yugi wanted to win. Yugi wanted to save Maric.

Yami couldn't tell him perhaps it was best if both of them simply faded away.

But in the end, Maric was the one who faded away. Yami opened his eyes, expecting it to be no more than one of Bakura's many defeats, but he opened them to see Malik's face pale.

He looked like he was in shock, fingers clenching and unclenching around the now-visible Rod. "No…"

Bakura's eyes widened. "He rejected you. I know it hurts, but…"

"I can't feel him."

"What!" The three of them shouted. "You're not serious!"

"I can't!" Malik banged the Rod against the table. "I can't! Work, you damn thing! Work!"

Yami, in the fantasy, had a relieved Maric hand him the Ring and Rod. He searched his eyes, but there was none of the darkness in the corner that was the sign of a Yami. "Maric is still alive."

"What does this mean? If we are rejected, we lose contact? But Ryou rejected me tons of times! This can't be happening!" Bakura was getting angry on behalf of his ally. "Give me the Rod! I'll collect them all and make them give you Maric back! Even though I've already got Ryou! I'll go back into that world with their power and win them all both here and there! Give those two to me, Yami."

"I'm afraid there's a problem with that." In the fantasy world, Yami found himself urging the rod upon Kaiba, just as the Rod disappeared from Malik's hands.

"What!" Malik shouted, hands clenching on empty air. He started to look around. "Where is it!"

"My guess," Yami said thoughtfully. "Is with another of our classmates. Seto-kun. The Items just made me give the Rod to Kaiba, who is his equivalent. I think a new Yami has been born."

"Ally or enemy?" Bakura's eyes narrowed. Gripping the ring, he activated it and watched the pointers swivel in what must be Seto's direction. "I'll find him. Kaiba won't be that hard to beat. And I've still got a body in that realm. Defeating you brought Ryou back to life."

"So you've got the best of both worlds." Malik glared. "Your light can be happy and you can be happy."

Bakura grinned. "Pharaoh? I don't envy you anymore."

"What does this mean for me?" Isis touched the Torc. "My light gave it away, yet I still feel her. Yet we are… distant. We never spoke, but I know she could feel me, feel my reassurance and love. Now I am distraught but there is no blot upon her triumph."

Yami gripped the Torc in the other world as Kaiba flounced off. "I doubt your light would take it back."

Isis shook her head. "No. This is part of her destiny. She has won, she has her brother. I am content."

"I _will_ kill you," Malik said calmly.

"I wonder if my spirit would join her if that happened?" Isis mused. "I just might let you, brother dearest." She touched the Torc. "You have no Item now, nor does your light. I can see your future." She sighed. "It is not happy."

Malik growled.

"Don't worry, brother. I am sure the Pharaoh and the Thief will change it somehow." Isis took the Torc from around her neck. "I give you this, for my brother's sake."

Bakura took it. "What about your fortunetelling racket?"

Isis laughed. "I have enough experience that the Torc merely confirms my guesses, with most clients. Have no fear."

"Maybe I won't kill you." Malik was visibly struggling to regain his self-control. "We're still working together, Thief."

"Sounds good to me. Your sister'll finance you, Pharaoh here finances me, and we'll see what else we can find out." He tossed the Torc. "Ring, Eye, Torc, Puzzle, and soon Rod. Only two left, as soon as we can track down the real-life Shadi."

"I think he will find us." Yami looked thoughtful.

"What? Nevermind. You never make any sense." Bakura stood. "Now excuse me, I need to get back home and lie down. I've still got a light to make quit screaming and be seduced." He grinned. "A few more days, and I'm going to get lucky. But then, I make my own luck."

Yami headed home as well. The events that day had both cheered and frightened. Yugi was his friend: surely what had happened to Malik would not happen to him. Soon he might be in Bakura's position. Perhaps they might even make love before Yugi joined him in the real world.

Of the four Item-holders he knew, Bakura and Crawford had their lights, Malik and somewhat Isis had lost theirs. Fifty-fifty chance.

He was a game master, but with something this important, he didn't like those odds.

Seto didn't come to school the next day. Neither did Bakura.


	6. Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh, although I have owned many at the card game.

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

His memory. Had he been anything before Yugi? Did he care if it was before Yugi? This was the quest that had send him against Malik in the fantasy world. Now it pitted them against Bakura.

Ryou in the fantasy world had built the playing field for Bakura. Yami envied that the two of them were so close now, though Ryou's eyes had seemed haunted at first.

Seth had advised him Bakura had dueled him, used Mokuba as bait to draw Seto out.

In the real world, Mokuba had been adopted by another family before Seto was. He was a cute kid, but Mokuba was cuter, and scored just as high. The family had wanted a less mature child, who would grow up a member of the family.

Seth had already secured visiting rights.

That was Seto's fantasy, then. To be a genius, to be a winner, even though he had had to sacrifice to do it. Seto in the dream world began to change, to shed the pain of his past. He was a different opponent now there was a living mind there, not just another phantasm of this dream.

Dream-Mokuba was ecstatic. Real life Mokuba loved his new family, and rejected Seth's offer to come stay with him. It was nice to see his brother and all, but he had friends in Shinjuku.

Seth outright refused the idea of killing Seto, or of handing over the Rod.

But when Seto became caught up in the game, he followed.

Yami had been frightened when he first was separated from Yugi. What if this was a final separation?

Yugi reappeared, and their power defeated Bakura, but only for an instant before they were swept apart.

It was one of the few times he had been permitted to touch Yugi. Before, during Battle City, in his Soul Room: it was one of the greatest memories of his 'life.'

Bakura gathered all the Items. Then it ceased to be a game.

Seth, where they had gathered in the Real World for this game, had a far-off look in his eyes when he revealed Priest Seth, his counterpart, had met Seto, that Seto was watching him and the dragon-girl.

It wasn't until after that they realized that the Items were not controlling them anymore. Only Bakura was having to fight off control. Zork's control.

Was this is? Was this creature the spirit they had been fighting all along? Why were they suddenly free to fight back, in this fantasy within a fantasy? Because Bakura had succeeding in gathering all the Items?

Yami fought, Bakura fought from inside, Seth fought, Yugi and Seto fought, the other Item-weilding priests fought, Shadi was revealed as another spirit (what was this one?), the battle continued until Yami called down the power of Horakti.

Zork was destroyed. Right?

But nothing seemed over.

Their lights and their imaginary friends woke up, before Seth or Yami could even say… Ryou was still unable to say anything, as were they. Had it all been for nothing? Had seeing them, touching them, all been just another part of the game? There to torture them?

Sent away. Yami was going to be sent away.

Somehow, he knew that if Yugi won this duel, he would be sent away as Malik had been.

Shadi appeared. Now they had all the Items in both the real and fantasy worlds. It did not free them.

He dueled his hardest, he dragged his feet walking towards the portal, he tried as hard as he could to get through to Yugi, all for nothing.

He was through, he opened his eyes to see the spirits of other Yamis. A brown-haired girl, a… how many Item-bearers and their dark guardians had their been? What was the connection with the fantasy Egypt they all seemed to have? What was the truth behind this story?

There had to be some truth! It couldn't all be just a game! Why keep him and Yugi separate! Why couldn't he even tell him he loved him!

Behind him, as Seth watched through Seto's eyes, feared with fear for himself, and Bakura laughed behind Ryou's, the Items fell down.

Destroyed, in the fantasy world.

Would they all lose their connections! Ryou held tight to Bakura, but they didn't.

Yami's connection was restored. He was in Yugi's real mind, after all. Malik's. Isis'. They all felt their lights.

And felt no binds.

Yami looked out through Yugi's eyes to see Malik looking at him through Marik's. He was quick to take control of his light, but kept him acting normal outwardly.

Isis looked though Ishizu's. Seth through Seto's.

They did nothing, amazed by this dream come true.

Would they be able to speak with them now? Hold them in their Soul Rooms, touch them, perhaps, even do as Bakura and Ryou did?

Yami and Seth hesitated, and knew Isis did the same. Bakura laughed that Malik wasn't.

Could they ruin their triumph?

Seto would hate any voice in his head, do everything to get rid of it. Yugi thought Yami had moved on now, happy.

Would they want to know their triumph was only a dream? That in the outer world the only reason they weren't still bullied and brotherless was that they had Yamis? That they were dependant on others, everything they used to measure themselves a false yardstick?

That Seto was no billionaire, Yugi no world champion of a nonexistent game?

"Just talk to him. He's crazy about you, he'll certainly want to hear you're back. Just don't tell him about the real world if that's what's worrying you. You're right, the runt probably couldn't handle it." Bakura took a drink of his beer. The bartender had handed it over no questions asked. This was the sort of neighborhood Sugoroku would throw a fit about Yami being in. The kind of place he wouldn't have taken Yugi's body if he didn't still have powers.

"I am not sure I could keep it a secret from him. In fact, he is glad I am gone, that his victory helped me reach heaven. I can't tell him it is all a lie, that his friends feel, at most, distant caring for him in the real world." Yami shook his head and took a drink of his own beer. Just one wouldn't hurt, and he refused to seem afraid of the stuff in the presence of Bakura.

Seth seemed comfortable with his own. "Seto's paranoid, and with good reason. He'd probably think I'm some nano-loudspeaker someone got into his skull and hack it open. I don't even dare to give him dreams he's likely to remember. He'd get suspicious if he kept dreaming about the same person. And he believes in magic now. And is richer than your parents, Yami. I wouldn't put it past him to find something in that fantasy world to sever our connection. And that would probably kill him. As far as I can tell, these are their real bodies, after all."

Yami nodded. "Dreams, I give him."

"The kind where they wake up with wet sheets in the morning?" Bakura laughed.

Seth raised an eyebrow and Yami tried not to look uncomfortable. "That, he'd get suspicious of. He has no hormones, as far as I can tell. I think a lot of his dream is the desire for control over himself and his life when his parents dying and the children's services' actions gave him none. Not even the ability to hang on to his only remaining family. Mokuba's a damn brat." Seth took a drink. "I've put some protections on him though, for Seto's sake."

"He seems like a little toady in their world. Oh Seto, you're the greatest!" Bakura mimicked a squeaky voice. "Yes big brother, no big brother, three bags full big brother!" He laughed darkly. "At least my Ryou only held on to that fantasy about having a father who gave him money and had a reason for being out of town other than a cute secretary."

"Yugi, Isis, Malik, and Crawford all have family problems as well. Is that some key?" Yami mused.

Bakura shrugged. "Who cares? It's all over bar the bedding. You should get a move on, before your Yugi falls for that Tea girl with the big breasts and has imaginary children. You'd have to kill her if he got her knocked up, I know you don't have _that_ much self-restraint, even though you're a damn saint, oh mighty Pharaoh."

Yami tried to hide a shudder at the thought. No phantasm should claim Yugi's heart! Though he was interested in her, and she in him, now that Yami was gone. His ascension into heaven had taken away Yugi's competition, he realized.

He should be glad. That was what Yugi had wanted. He took another sip of his beer.

"And you, priest-boy. Just take over his body. Stick him in the real world. He won't have the resources to have elective brain surgery done over here, and he's sharp enough to keep the both of you out of the asylum. He'll come to eventually. Just make him come a few times." Another bawdy joke. Seth was not amused.

"Perhaps you could make it seem a Shadow Game?" Yami suggested. "He does believe in magic, at least a little. Say that you are the Priest. There is no reason to have him suspend his disbelief enough to accept this world, with all its imperfections." He took a drink. "That is our purpose. To protect our lights from the darkness of the world."

No arguments there, although Bakura amended, "And make 'em happy, don't forget."

"Cannot you do the same thing, My Pharaoh?" Seth asked, bowing his head slightly.

"Don't call me that."

"Don't call him that." Yami and Bakura responded in unison.

"Perhaps then you will listen to me." Seth snorted. "Not that you ever listened to me in the dream world. I kept telling you to wait for help, but no. You had to run off on your own and play hero. What happened to teamwork, mighty Pharaoh? We almost lost because of it, and I don't want to think about what would have happened then."

"The 'teamwork' obsession was an irritating part of the script. Yugi believes in it, however." Yami shrugged.

"You weren't on a team with me. Gave me money and I did all the work." Bakura yawned.

"Tired so early?" Seth looked surprised.

"I was up late robbing an adult store," Bakura admitted without shame.

Silence.

"Oh come on, like you don't wish you had my guts. Afraid of your lights! Afraid of hurting their widdle feelings! Like you can't make them happier than any fantasy could! And they'd still have the fantasy, no one's saying you should make them live in this poor excuse for a reality. Best of both worlds!" Bakura gestured expansively. "Just ask Ryou." Immediately his appearance softened.

"I think you two should tell them," Ryou volunteered. "I know I was afraid of Bakura, but I was much happier when he told me I didn't have to be afraid. Yugi really misses you, Yami. You have to see that. Seth, I don't really know Seto that well, but maybe you could… let him win? So you're something he's won, like the Blue Eyes? He accepts them and their spirits even though they are alive."

Seth looked thoughtful. "Throwing a game is dishonorable."

"But, maybe he would accept you as a rival? He accepted Yami even before he had magic. They were sort of friends. He's missing Yami, he said dueling Yugi isn't the same. You should both join us. The group doesn't feel the same without you, Yami. And Seto could really use a Yami, Seth. Right now he's trying to change his life, but he doesn't quite know what to do. He could use someone who knows him, even better than Mokuba."

Seth and Yami looked at each other. It sounded reasonable. But did it do so only because they wanted to join their lights so much?

Should they, or should they not?

They wanted to. So badly.


	7. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

Thanks for reading this weird little piece. I'm starting up another big one, the first chapter should be coming out this week, and I'm also starting a Bakura/Ryou fic, Psuedonym. I hope you enjoy them.

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Yugi blinked. He had just gone to bed, but he didn't feel sleepy at all. And why was his room so bright? He raised a hand to shield his eyes as he pushed himself into a sitting position.

Oh. He was in his soul room. He smiled, looking around at the brightly colored toys. He'd always liked coming here, it was his favorite sort of place. Well, that made sense, he liked himself so of course he would like his own mind.

The main reason, though, that he had always liked coming here was that he got to see Yami then. He looked across at the door, remembering opening it and going across the corridor into the maze room that was both Yami's mind and the Millennium Puzzle. But the Puzzle was long gone.

Yami with it. He should be happy for Yami, he was in heaven right now.

But that heaven wasn't the real living world. It wasn't here with Yugi.

He'd missed him. He'd always reached for the Puzzle in the morning, he'd had to relearn how to balance without that heavy weight around his neck. It seemed like everything was different now he didn't have that voice in his mind.

He should be thankful it was over. There had been a lot of danger, and he was sure Yami would be proud of how well he was doing, winning tournaments on his own and everything. He was so strong now because of Yami.

He should stay in bed here and wait until this little dream was over and he woke up in the real world. He definitely shouldn't walk across the room to open the door and peer out of it to where Yami's door had once been.

He needed to make a clean break. It was over, and now his story had begun. Yami wouldn't want him to cry, despite everything he now wished he had said to Yami.

He looked at the door and willed his eyes to dry.

The door swung open.

In a flash Yugi was out of bed and in those arms. "Yami! But I thought you were in heaven! What are you doing here in the real world? Or, at least, in my Soul Room?" He chattered on excitedly. "I'm so happy to see you, I missed you so much! I have so much to tell you!" So many things he had wished he had said.

A finger was put to his lips. "I know." Yami smiled. "I never stopped watching over you."

Somehow, Yugi was disappointed. Part of him had wanted to go it alone. Things felt strange, like they weren't the way they were supposed to be. "That's great, I'm happy you still were, but I wanted to tell you everything I've done." He pouted.

Yami laughed. "I would never leave you alone."

"I'm glad, Yami." Yugi smiled. "I have to tell my friends." He paused. "I hope this isn't a dream. I'll be really unhappy in the morning if it is." He poked Yami.

"Why did you do that, Yugi?" Yami asked.

"I felt that. Pinch me." He would treat this like an experiment.

Yami laughed and pinched his cheek. Yugi flinched back. "Not so hard! I hate when Grandpa does that." Pouting.

Yami smiled softly and then kissed his pursed lips.

Yugi jumped back. "Ya.. Yami, why did you do that?"

"I'm sorry. Did I startle you, Partner?" Yami was worried.

"Yes, you startled me, but I'm fine," Yugi reassured him. "I just didn't expect you would feel the same way about me that I do about you."

Yami smiled. "I've loved you for a long time, Yugi. I only wasn't free to say it."

Yugi understood. "I was afraid to say it too. I mean, there I was sharing a body with you. What if you were disgusted? I wouldn't be able to leave you alone if you didn't like me."

"I would never reject you," Yami assured him, closing the gap between them. "You are my partner, Yugi."

Yugi smiled. "I was always glad to be your partner. Why are you here?"

"I am still connected to you." Yami hugged him and spoke into his ear. "We are shadow and light, we are one."

"Huh?" Yugi blinked. Have Yami explain later. What sort of name was Yami, anyway? Why did he pick that to have Yugi call him? It wasn't Egyptian, Yugi had checked. It sounded like some other foreign language, but why hadn't Yami picked something in English? Or was it just a random sound? "We have some sort of mystic bond? I knew that." His arms tightened around Yami. "It always felt so right that you were there."

Yami nodded. "And now we will be together forever."

"But won't you get bored? Lonely, with all your friends in wherever spirits go to? What did you use to do all day, when I didn't need you?"

"I will be fine. I have… things that need my attention. I was a Pharaoh, after all."

"Am I taking time away from your duties? I'm sorry." Yugi sighed. He had wanted Yami all to himself, like in the old days.

"I will always have time for you, Yugi. Other things can wait. And I can always return to the other world. Maybe you would like to come with me to it sometimes? The Egyptian afterlife is almost exactly like the real world."

"I know, I read books. You had things made so you could pick up your life where you left off, with servants and everything." Yugi nodded. "Remember when I did all that research for you? Remember Ishizu's exhibit?"

"I remember." Yami nodded.

"We saw that tablet with the real you there." Yugi smiled. "It was so cool. You were a game king back then, just like you are now." It was his title now. No! He didn't want to claim it when Yami had earned it. Not just because Yami had gone away. Yami was back now.

Yes. Yami was here now.

Yami laughed. "I'm not quite a king in that world, merely wealthy. Few know who I am. I am among the dead of the modern day, not five thousand years ago, after all."

"But what about your friends? Seth, and Mana, and Mahaado?" Yugi looked sad for him.

"They are there, just as you saw in the doorway." More and more past item-bearers had been found by Bakura's searching.

"I'm glad." Yugi smiled and snuggled.

Yami kissed his hair. "Yami?"

"Yes, Yugi?"

"Would you kiss me? For real? On the lips? I mean… do you love me-love me, or am I just your partner? I won't mind if you say we're just friends, you've always been a great friend, but…"

Yami shushed him. "We already went over this, Yugi. Yes, I love you. I have since you awakened me." Created him.

"I just was nervous. I mean, I was such a little shrimp before I solved the Puzzle and you started helping me. I was a nobody with an obsession with games. I would have inherited Grandpa's shop, the Puzzle would have been my memento of him, and I would never have gone anywhere or done anything special. But I helped you save the world! I've done so many amazing things and have so many great friends." Yugi squeezed Yami happily. "It's more than I ever dreamed of and it's all thanks to you.

Yami laughed. Was there a tinge of nervousness in that laugh? Yugi decided of course there wasn't. Why would there be? "I'm so happy to have met you, Yugi. I couldn't have done any of it without you, you know."

Yugi shook his head. "No, it all would have been a lot easier if you'd had someone better than me."

"You're wrong, Yugi."

"I let you down during the match with Pegasus. I almost lost you. If I had been stronger… I wished I was stronger. But now I am, aren't I? Strong enough to beat you. Only I didn't want to beat you. I had to. So you would move on and be happy. Happy without me."

"I could never be happy without you. It was so painful to only watch you. I wanted to come back and talk to you so much."

"Why didn't you?" Yugi looked up at him. "It's been weeks. I was so sure you were gone for good."

"You seemed so happy with your new life. I wasn't sure it would be a good thing to intrude. You were doing so well on your own, I didn't want you to become dependant on me. But see? You are perfectly capable of surviving without me." A smile.

Yugi pouted. "I don't want to survive without you! It was great, but you were missing. It wasn't perfect without you here. But now you are here, and everything's perfect! I'm sure if there are any problems we can solve them together."

"Yes." Yami kissed Yugi's hair. "Together, we can do anything." The familiar words fell from his lips. Yugi smiled to hear them.

"You always told me to trust in my friends, that they would never let me down. I should have trusted in you. You would never leave me, right Yami?"

"Right, Yugi. Never." Squeeze.

"Would you kiss me again?" Yugi tilted his face up.

Yami shifted his arms. "Of course, Yugi." He bent his face down to meet Yugi's lips.

They kissed.

It was as simple kiss at first, lips pressed against each other. Yugi was the first to grow bolder and pull back. "Could we, I don't know, make out?" He blushed.

"You want a real kiss? Than that is what you shall have." Yami's lips captured his.

Yugi was always so easy for him to read, so it was simple to tell what made Yugi react. He shifted his lips and held him tight, letting his tongue come out to meet Yugi's.

They were both inexperienced, but they knew and loved each other, and that made all the difference.

They didn't have to breathe in the Soul Room, so it was a while before Yugi pulled back. "Wow." He took a deep, symbolic breath. "I heard about how kissing was so great, but I never really believed it. I mean, it's just lips touching. It sounded kind of boring. I mean, those lips could be talking instead, and I love to hear you talk. Your voice is sort of like mine, but so much deeper. I could listen to you talk for hours."

Yami smiled, taking one of Yugi's hands in his. "Do you want to talk? We have until morning."

"You have to leave then?" Yugi's eyes widened with disappointment.

Yami shook his head. "You have school, remember? We can still talk."

"But we couldn't kiss, when I'm out of my Soul Room," Yugi realized. "I want to kiss, then. I want to hug you." He blushed, clearly wanting to do other things, but not in their first night together. "I'm so glad you're back, Yami."

"I am glad to talk to you as well. The only times I could before were mostly when there was some urgent danger. You are safe now."

"Why didn't you talk to me more? I always wondered. Sometimes I thought you were avoiding me. I had to figure out you were after your memories on my own."

"I didn't want to worry you?" Was that an excuse?

Yugi decided not to ask. Let Yami keep his secrets, as long as he loved Yugi. Everything was perfect, as long as Yami loved him.

He would make this an even better heaven for Yami than the real one, so Yami would stay here with Yugi all the time.

Here in their Soul Room would be his heaven too. This wasn't a real place, but it was real enough to be perfect. Their Utopia.

Here where he could touch and love Yami, and tell him of all his triumphs out there in the real world.

He had missed Yami so much, but now everything would be perfect.

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This is the last chapter, so I'd like to especially ask you to review. Even a sentence is great to get. 


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